Variable pulsating, gap control, auto-learning press cushion device

A die press device for a press machine for forming a blank comprising:

• an upper press assembly, said upper press assembly including a press slide and an upper die connected to said press slide;
• a cushion platform, said cushion platform including a binder, a top surface of said binder configured to support the blank;
• at least one hydraulic cylinder supporting at least a portion of said cushion platform, said cushion platform configured to move in response to a force applied thereto by said upper press assembly;
• a control valve configured to permit flow, restrict flow, or combinations thereof of hydraulic fluid from a chamber of said at least one hydraulic cylinder;
• and;
• a controller, said controller communicating with a) an upper press position indicator that indicates a positioned of one or more components of said upper press assembly, and b) a cushion platform position indicator that indicates a positioned of one or more components of said cushion platform;
• said control valve to maintain a minimum pressure in said chamber of said hydraulic cylinder;
• wherein said controller is operative to vary a value of said minimum pressure during a working stroke of said press machine;
• wherein said controller is configured to a) determine a thickness of the blank upon detection of contact of said upper press assembly with the blank, b) calculate whether the thickness of the blank is within a thickness tolerance of a preset thickness value, and/or c) cause increased pressure to be applied by said least one hydraulic cylinder supporting at least a portion of said cushion platform when the thickness of the blank is not within the thickness tolerance, and,
• wherein said controller is configured to a) monitor conditions of said die press device during a stroke of said press machine forming the blank using a first force profile, said monitored conditions including at least one of a position of said cushion platform of or a pressure applied by said at least one hydraulic cylinder;
• b) analyze said monitored conditions to detect occurrence of defect in the formed blank selected from the group consisting of wrinkling of the formed blank and tearing of the formed blank;
• and/or c) altering at least one parameter of said first force profile when a defect is detected by said controller to reduce recurrence of said defect when processing a subsequent blank.

A method of controlling a press cushion device of a press, wherein said method comprises:

• providing a die press device for a press machine comprising:
• an upper press assembly, said upper press assembly including a press slide and an upper die connected to said press slide;
• a cushion platform, said cushion platform including a binder, a top surface of said binder configured to support the blank;
• at least one hydraulic cylinder supporting at least a portion of said cushion platform, said cushion platform configured to move in response to a force applied thereto by said upper press assembly;
• a control valve configured to permit flow, restrict flow, or combinations thereof of hydraulic fluid from a chamber of said at least one hydraulic cylinder;
• and;
• a controller, said controller communicating with a) an upper press position indicator that indicates a positioned of one or more components of said upper press assembly, and b) a cushion platform position indicator that indicates a positioned of one or more components of said cushion platform;
• said control valve to maintain a minimum pressure in said chamber of said hydraulic cylinder;
• wherein said controller is operative to vary a value of said minimum pressure during a working stroke of said press machine;
• wherein said controller is configured to a) determine a thickness of the blank upon detection of contact of said upper press assembly with the blank, b) calculate whether the thickness of the blank is within a thickness tolerance of a preset thickness value, and/or c) cause increased pressure to be applied by said least one hydraulic cylinder supporting at least a portion of said cushion platform when the thickness of the blank is not within the thickness tolerance, and,
• wherein said controller is configured to a) monitor conditions of said die press device during a stroke of said press machine forming the blank using a first force profile, said monitored conditions including at least one of a position of said cushion platform of or a pressure applied by said at least one hydraulic cylinder;
• b) analyze said monitored conditions to detect occurrence of defect in the formed blank selected from the group consisting of wrinkling of the formed blank and tearing of the formed blank and/or, c) altering at least one parameter of said first force profile when a defect is detected by said controller to reduce recurrence of said defect when processing a subsequent blank;
• causing said controller to cause increased pressure to be applied by said least one hydraulic cylinder supporting at least a portion of said cushion platform when said determined thickness is not within said thickness tolerance;
• forming a first part using said press under a first preset force profile;
• monitoring conditions of said press during said forming of said first part, said monitored conditions including at least one of a position of said upper press assembly, or a position, pressure, or velocity of said cushion platform;
• comparing said monitored conditions of said upper press assembly with at least one of said monitored conditions of a) position of said cushion platform, b) pressure of said cushion platform, c) position of said upper press assembly, and any combination of a), b) and c);
• analyzing said monitored conditions to detect a defect in said first part, said analyzing said monitored conditions includes i) comparing position data of said upper press assembly to position data of said cushion platform to detect formation of a wrinkle in said part, ii) detecting a pressure relief spike corresponding to a tear in said part, iii) detecting a velocity change in said cushion platform indicative of a tear in said part, and any combination of i), ii) and iii);
• altering at least one parameter of said first preset force profile when a defect in said first part is detected to form a second force profile, said first force profile modified in a manner to reduce recurrence of a defect in a second part;
• and
• forming said second part using said press under said second force profile.